


thermostat shenanigans: the adventures of dmitry and anya

by msaudreyanne



Category: Anastasia (1997), Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/M, Fluff, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:21:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25123084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msaudreyanne/pseuds/msaudreyanne
Summary: Dmitry and Anya are roommates who struggle with THE THIRST and also the thermostat.
Relationships: Dimitri | Dmitry & Anya | Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia 1997 & Broadway), Dimitri | Dmitry/Anya | Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia 1997 & Broadway)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a tumblr prompt:  
> Person A is always hot. They like to turn the AC on high. This bothers Person B, who is always cold.

If someone had asked Dmitry Sudayev four months ago if he’d do anything for his best friend, Maria Romanov, he would not have hesitated to say yes. He had met Maria in college and the two quickly bonded over their shared Russian heritage, love of good pizza, and a deep-rooted hatred for their undergrad admissions counselor. Maria was a kind and caring person, but wasn’t afraid to fight back when Dmitry got in one of his broodings. The two survived college together, and then the struggles of navigating the real world. In many ways, Dmitry considered Maria to be his sister.

Maria Romanov came from a large, wealthy family. The Romanovs were old money, and while the current brood didn’t flaunt it, Dmitry was always reminded of their different upbringings when Maria would drag him along to the family home over breaks from school. It was on these occasions that Dmitry met the infamous Romanov siblings – Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Alexei. Olga and Tatiana were older and much more relaxed. Both having gotten married and starting their own families, the two were nothing but kind to Dmitry. As for Alexei, well as soon as he walked in the front door that first time, Alexei quickly grabbed his arm and declared that they would be playing videogames if anyone needed them. The poor kid grew up with four sisters, no wonder he needed some guy time.

And then there was Anastasia…

All of the Romanovs could be considered attractive. But when Dmitry first saw Anastasia, “ _Please,_ call me Anya, or even Nastya. You are not my Nana,” he felt like the wind was knocked out of him. He probably looked like an idiot standing there, too tongue-tied to speak.

Anya was a hurricane. She would sweep into a room and demand attention before rushing out the door, leaving destruction and chaos in her wake. For multiple reasons, she drove Dmitry crazy every time they interacted. She wasn’t spoiled, per say. None of the Romanov children could be confused with spoiled. Alexandra Romanov had made sure of it. Anya seemed to be lost in her own world most of the time. Never cruel by any means, but it often was clear she had forgotten who Dmitry was each time they saw each other.

So, when Maria came to Dmitry three and a half months ago to ask a monumental favor of him, the very last thing he could think of was letting Anya live with him.

“I know you two don’t get along well, but she’s fresh out of grad school and desperate for a place to live that’s not our parents’. And you’ve got that spare room since Vlad moved out! It will only be a temporary thing! She says she’s got several job offers in the works and once she gets her footing, she’ll find a place of her own.” Maria seemed so confident and earnest in this request that Dmitry couldn’t help but reluctantly agree.

At first, living with Anya was awkward, and not in a good way. There were many nights spent locked in their own rooms, refusing to even entertain socializing with one another. There would be days when Dmitry might not see or hear from Anya at all, which was strange to him. Of all the roommates he had had in the past, there had always been a sense of comradery.

“Just give her time to warm up to you! I’m sure she’s stressed about all the changes she’s had in the last few weeks. Give her a chance to get to know you and perhaps you’ll get along like you and Maria do.” Vlad was always the positive one in their friendship. He seemed to really think there was hope for his situation with Anya.

Then, as if a flip was switched, Anya started coming out of her room. She’d sit with him on the couch and watch whatever garbage they could find on TV. They’d order takeout from the Thai place down the street, always arguing over who’s turn it was to pay. They’d play videogames together, which shocked him to his core.

“Who do you think taught Alyosha all of those tricks?” she would say confidently. Dmitry learned rather quickly that Anya was also infinitely more competitive than all the other Romanov siblings combined and was not afraid to show off her skills.

It was also during this time that Dmitry learned Anya had found a job. She was going to start teaching French at the local high school full-time come August and she couldn’t wait to begin. For now, though, she would just be substitute teaching and tutoring when they needed her.

When Dmitry heard about this, he felt a small pang in his chest. While it had only been a short time that they’d lived together, they were quickly developing a routine. On weeknights, they’d take turns cooking dinner. Some nights, weather permitting, they’d go for walks around the neighborhood. Anya would always say it was good to get out of the house and experience the world. On weekends, they would sort of float around each other. They’d both have their own things to do, but they’d always gravitate towards one another. Anya would check in on him to see how his projects were coming. Dmitry would visit Anya in the kitchen as she tried some new Pinterest recipe, always successfully swiping a little of whatever was cooling on the counter. If Dmitry had to describe it, he would say that the two-bedroom apartment was finally feeling like a home, and part of that was Anya’s doing.

So maybe he loves living with Anya – “ _maybe he’s just in love with Anya,”_ his brain whispers traitorously -and there’s a part of him that desperately hopes the “finding my own place” is just a charade she is keeping up with for her family’s sake. He enjoys almost everything about their living situation, with the exception of one teeny, tiny thing…

Dmitry and Anya have been engaged in a no-holds-bar war over the thermostat since she moved into the apartment. It may sound crazy, and when Dmitry thinks about it too long, he’d have to agree, but there is some inner voice of his that refuses to budge on this issue. He’s very territorial over that stupid little device that decides whether or not he’s going to be miserable in his own home.

He’s naturally hot, all the time. The first time he explained this to Anya, he watched with some unknown emotion as she did a quick once over of him. It was so fast, he almost missed it. _Almost._ Anya quickly recovered with some quip about him needing to turn down his ego, not the temperature, and thus the war was waged.

Anya, for all of her sunshine and warmth, seemed to be a direct descendant of Queen Elsa herself. She was always freezing, and while she claimed it was due to her small size, Dmitry always felt she was being a bit overdramatic – which coincidentally, was right up Anya’s alley.

 _“I can think of a few different ways to keep Anya warm…”_ his mind really was out to kill him, wasn’t it? Anya was his _roommate_ , and most importantly, _his best friend’s baby sister._ There was no way he could go there, even if Anya possibly reciprocated his _not-_ feelings.

Dmitry couldn’t afford to get distracted by whatever he did or did not feel towards a certain someone. He needed to be on his A-game if he was going to keep his apartment from turning into a fucking sauna.

On this particularly hot Saturday in June, Dmitry had just finished his morning run. It had been abnormally humid out, and not a cloud in the sky to shield him from the heat. Hoping to be welcomed home by the sweet embrace of ice-cold air conditioning, Dmitry was distraught to be greeted by the smell of sticky sweet treats, hotter air, and Anya humming to herself as the mixer ran. While Anya in the kitchen wasn’t unusual – she quickly claimed the area as _her_ territory upon moving in, met with little resistance from Dmitry – the sheer magnitude of her current baking project was a bit overwhelming. The smell, combined with the stale June air, made Dmitry’s lungs hurt and his stomach roll.

Kicking off his shoes with his back to the kitchen, Dmitry hollered, “Since when did we move to the Seventh Circle of Hell?” and walked towards the thermostat. _79?!_ The windows were shut! Was she trying to murder him? He quickly turned the temperature down to its _proper_ setting of 67 when an oven mitt appeared out of nowhere to swat his arm.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?” Dmitry rubbed the spot she had hit. For a tiny thing, Anya sure knew who to inflict a lot of damage on her victims.

“You’re going to freeze me to death if you turn it down that low!”

Now that Dmitry was facing her, he was able to take in her current state. She had her unruly strawberry blonde locks twisted up into some messy knot on top of her head, the loose hairs sticking to her forehead from spending so much time in front of the oven. She was wearing her trademark leggings and an old t-shirt, both of which were covered in flour. Dmitry couldn’t help it…Anya looked pretty adorable when she was baking. He had once teased her with the nickname “Royal Mess” because it never ceased to amaze him how much destruction she could cause in the kitchen, all while maintaining her princess attitude.

“I’m not sure how you could possibly freeze to death in New York City, in June, with the oven on. This is not Siberia, Anya.” Dmitry tried to keep the sarcasm in his voice relatively low, but as most things go concerning the two of them, he failed miserably.

Anya looked as if she was about to retaliate, but Dmitry quickly removed his tank top, stopping whatever witty comeback she had planned. He wasn’t lying when he said he was always hot. The tank top had been soaked during his run and it was starting to stifle him in this fire pit of an apartment. Dmitry had to quell the sense of pride at getting such a reaction out of her, but if he’s an honest man – and he’s trying to be, okay? – he enjoyed watching her eyes rake over his chest very much.

“I’m going to go take a shower and clean up. Want to explain why our apartment now resembles the nearest Levain?” He tried to swipe a chocolate looking confection from the counter, but was quickly swatted again with the oven mitt.

“Those are for my family’s luncheon tomorrow afternoon. I told you about it two weeks ago! You said you were going to help me, but instead you are the absolute worst person I’ve ever met and you’re clearly trying to kill me with that stupid thermostat.” Well, Anya found her voice again. Maybe Dmitry should walk around shirtless more often…if it keeps her too preoccupied to yell at him.

“Try not to burn down the place while I’m in the shower! I’ll help you when I’m done!” he said as he watched her march back to her station in the kitchen, definitely not appreciating the way her hips seemed to sway more than normal. Not that Dmitry pays attention to her hips or anything in that general area…

When Dmitry finished his shower – that did _not_ contain _any_ musings of a certain roommate with her legs wrapped around his hips – he exited the bathroom, towel slung around his hips, to get dressed in his room. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you ask) as soon as he turned the corner out of the bathroom, another body slammed into his.

Delicate hands wrapped around his biceps to steady herself. Dmitry looked down to find Anya, somehow covered in more flour, pressed _very_ close to him. While he was almost naked. Great.

“I…um…I’m sorry! I just wanted to see if you wanted to order takeout for dinner tonight!” Her eyes may have met his as she rushed all of her words out, but her hands tightened on his biceps before sliding to his chest.

Dmitry could’ve chalked it up to a mindless, innocent move to continue to right herself, but it was at that very moment he realized in the midst of their collision, his hands had landed on Anya to help her. One hand was resting on her hip and the other was dangerously located on her side. He shouldn’t think about how close he was to her. This would only complicate the situation.

A moment passed where they both just looked at each other, neither moving to leave their current position. Dmitry could feel Anya’s chest against his, her rapid breathing causing him to become painfully aware of other places they were touching.

Quickly removing his hands from her and taking a step back, while securing his towel, Dmitry stammered out a quick “Uh..what we, I mean, whatever sounds good to you. I need..pants.” And with that, he bolted to his room, locked the door, and tried not to think about the feel of her hands on him or that look in her eyes. The moment was over and he needed to categorize it as nothing more than a harmless accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment or kudos with what you think or any suggestions you might have! THANK YOU FOR READING :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya's POV this time! Hope you like mutual pining!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing: I'm pretty new to this writing stuff, so for this chapter I use a lot more italics. If it's just one word italicized, chances are I only meant to emphasize it. If it's a whole sentence italicized, that's an Anya thought. If that drives you bonkers, let me know. I'm open to constructive criticism!

Anya found herself gripping the edge of the counter in attempt to center herself.

_What. Just. Happened._

She still felt dizzy from the entire situation. All she had wanted to do was ask about dinner and instead she basically got to feel up a mostly naked Dmitry.

And yeah, Dmitry is attractive and sure, she’s seen him shirtless before. But to feel his warm skin and firm muscles beneath her fingers caused a part of her brain to shut down.

Dmitry had locked himself in his room, probably horrified of her now that she _attacked_ him, so she was left wallow in her shame alone in the kitchen. How could she let something like this happen? She had been so meticulous all time trying to maintain her indifference towards Dmitry, only to throw all of her hard work in the garbage with her carelessness. The last several weeks they had certainly grown closer, to her heart’s joy and mind’s distress, and that was now at risk of being ruined.

Anya truly loved getting to spend time learning all about Dmitry. He liked his coffee black. He couldn’t handle spicy food. When he was telling a story, he’d get a twinkle in his eye and his smirk would cause his dimples to pop out. He would sing in the shower when he thought she wasn’t home. He went for his runs most mornings, weather permitting, and would return all hot and sweaty. Anya wanted nothing more than to push his messy hair out of his face and kiss that stupid dimple as soon as he would walk in the door.

_God. She sounded like a hormonal teenager._

She’d always harbored a crush for her older sister’s best friend, but she knew nothing would ever happen between them. Here was this gorgeous older guy who also happened to be a great human being. He’d get swept away by someone more in his league and never think twice about Anya. She was better off keeping her distance from him, to spare herself the eventual letdown. Damnit did he make it difficult, though.

Dmitry stayed in his room while Anya finished baking and cleaning up her mess in the kitchen. Several hours had passed before he emerged – fully dressed, to her relief and disappointment – in shorts and another stupid tank top that showed off his stupid arms that were apparently very solid and warm. She was going to have an aneurism if he kept this up.

With the oven having been off for a while and Dmitry’s mutiny with the thermostat going unchecked in the chaos of earlier, Anya realized just how cold she was. _Of course,_ she thought, _just add it to the list of this fantastic day._ The last thing she needed was another tense interaction with Dmitry, but she also hated how cold it was getting in the apartment. Deciding to let him have this one small victory, Anya went to get herself cleaned up. Perhaps a hot shower and some warm, comfy clothes would help settle her mind and heart. She quickly placed their usual order from their go-to restaurant a few blocks away and texted Dmitry to let him know how long they’d have until dinner arrived. She figured the least she could do after feeling him up was buy him dinner.

When she emerged from the bathroom some time later, she made sure to peak her head out first to check that the coast was clear. She needed to avoid a repeat of earlier today if she was going to survive. Okay…so maybe she wouldn’t be _completely_ upset if Dmitry wanted to feel her up while she was in nothing but a towel, but she _needed_ to focus. She did not want to screw this up with him. She loved living with him – she loved him, if she was being honest – and apartments in New York City were not easily affordable on her eventual teacher’s salary.

Once in her room, Anya found a clean pair of leggings, comfy socks and a shirt. Fully dressed, she realized she was still pretty chilly, so she grabbed a sweatshirt from the back of her closet. It was Dmitry’s from college, so it completely swamped her tiny frame. But it was warm and it still smelled faintly of him. He had left it at her parents’ house after their last family dinner and Anya quickly claimed it as her own. He wouldn’t mind, right? He was always too warm anyways; what would he need with a sweatshirt he had forgotten about in the first place? Making her mind up, she pulled it on over top of her and rolled the sleeves up so that her hands were free.

As she walked out into the living room, there was a knock at the door. Dmitry was already set up on the couch, so she waved him off. She could use the extra time alone in the kitchen to prepare herself for an evening with him. It would be fine…they would just pretend like nothing happened. That would be easy..?

Wine. It was definitely going to be a wine night.

What she missed on her way to the door was Dmitry’s eyes follow her across the apartment, mouth agape.

Anya brought the food and drinks out to the coffee table. When she looked up to Dmitry, his eyes were glazed over. He appeared to give himself a little shake and then his smirk was spreading across his face, dimple screaming at her to kiss it.

“Thanks for dinner. Next time is on me though, okay?” _Great._ He just had to go and be a gentleman about it. This was stupid. She shouldn’t be internally swooning at the thought of him wanting to buy her dinner.

_He only said that because you are roommates and it’s a fair trade off. He doesn’t think of you that way._

They ate in relative silence, occasionally commenting on the trashy show Dmitry had on. This was Anya’s favorite thing about living with Dmitry. They didn’t have to go out on a Saturday night in order to have fun. They could sit in the comfort of their home and just enjoy being around each other. There were no expectations or pretenses to keep up. If she ignored the “secretly hopelessly in love” thing, that is.

Anya lost track of how long they sat there watching television, but the food was now gone and so was a good amount of the wine. She’s sure that her cheeks were sporting a healthy flush from the alcohol, but it helped her relax and enjoy herself. She didn’t want to ruin their Saturday routine with her overthinking. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dmitry looking at her again. She turned to face him.

“Do I have something on my face?” Anya asked as she reached up to touch her mouth. Dmitry’s eyes zeroed in on the movement.

“No,” he chuckled, “I was just going to ask where you managed to find a sweatshirt that is identical to one I am currently missing.”

He really shouldn’t look so smug. His words might have been light and teasing, but the two of them had such quick tempers she had no idea if he was actually mad about her wearing his sweatshirt.

Falling back on her “princess” attitude as he liked to call it, Anya tilted her chin up and said in her best haughty voice, “I’ll have you know; this sweatshirt was abandoned at my parents’ house. I decided to give it a good home where it would be appreciated.”

“Fair enough. Lord knows you need it with how cold you always claim to be. If I knew all it took for you to leave my thermostat alone was to give you my clothes to wear, I would’ve done it ages ago.”

Yup. Definitely a smug bastard. Little did Anya know, Dmitry liked her wearing his clothes for more reasons than just getting his way with the thermostat. He wasn’t normally a caveman, but something about Anya in his oversized sweatshirt made him feel like she was _his_.

“How else do you propose I stay warm in this place if you insist on keeping it the same temperature as the North Pole?” Anya had a few suggestions in mind to answer her own question, but she couldn’t exactly share those with Dmitry, could she?

[Narrator: She definitely could.]

Dmitry got that look in his eyes again. He leaned towards her on the couch and jeered, “I think you’re overexaggerating. You can’t possibly be that cold!”

Perhaps it was the wine they’d drank, but this was feeling dangerously close to flirting in Anya’s mind. Granted, she was a hopeless romantic and any attention from Dmitry could be twisted into something more in her brain. There was something about Dmitry’s teasing tone and stupid smirk, though, that caused Anya to chuck any caution out the window.

“Fine! You don’t believe me? I’ll prove it!”

Anya then proceeded to slide her cold hands up under Dmitry’s tank top, letting them land on his bare sides. He immediately stilled, smirk falling from his face.

“What are you _doing_?” he asked, but made no move to remove her hands.

“Proving a point. What? Are you ticklish?” It was Anya’s turn to use that teasing, flirtatious voice against him. _We’ll see how he likes it!_

“That is neither here nor there, Anya. But your hands are _really_ cold!” Still, he made no move to remove her hands from his body.

 _Well, I’ve made it this far,_ Anya thought to herself. She then proceeded to lightly run her fingers up and down Dmitry’s ribs, causing him to release a startled gasp. Anya continued her attack, climbing on top of Dmitry in her quest for winning whatever this was.

Although temporarily disarmed, Dmitry quickly remembered just how small Anya was compared to him. He easily grabbed her hips, flipped them over, and then captured both of her hands in one of his above her head.

_Holy shit, what a move._

Anya was now very much aware of their current situation, sprawled out on the couch with Dmitry hovering just over her. His brain hadn’t quite caught up to hers yet, she realized, so she decided to enjoy the moment while she could. The weight of Dmitry above her was not suffocating, but rather safe and comforting. It was nice. She was definitely warm now, especially with his hand still holding hers above her head. She also couldn’t help but notice something hard pressed against her thigh.

“Who’s laughing now, huh Ice Princess? I’ve got you at my mercy.”

 _Dear sweet lord, end me now._ Dmitry really needed to move, and soon. There was only so much Anya could take, and his warm breath so close to her ear was making her seriously question her resolve to hide her feelings from him.

He must have noticed her discomfort, because his eyes followed the blush on her cheeks down her neck. Realization washed over Dmitry and Anya could do nothing but lay there as he quickly released her hands and stood up. He turned his face away from her and started picking up the garbage from dinner to throw away.

“It’s late and I uh..I should really go to bed. I’m sorry. Thanks again for dinner.” And with that, he bolted to the kitchen to ditch the trash and then went straight to his room. Anya, still sitting on the couch in a flushed daze, heard the lock on his door click into place.

_What. Just. Happened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not hate me.
> 
> As always, please leave a comment or kudos with what you think or any suggestions you might have! THANK YOU FOR READING :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dmitry's POV   
> Maria is MVP  
> Angst  
> Fluff  
> Jealousy  
> More Angst because y not?

Dmitry locked his door, turned his back to it, and sank to the floor with his head in his hands.

How could he have let that happen? He manhandled Anya! Sure, she initiated the touching, but he definitely took it too far. This went way beyond normal roommate behavior.

_She wasn’t wrong about being cold, though._

Yes, because _that_ is what he should be thinking about right now. Anya’s cold hands under his shirt, sliding up his sides. Even though she was trying to tickle him – which yes, he is *very* ticklish – her voice had dropped to a sultry level and she was clearly flirting with him. Or was she? Had he imagined that and the look in her eyes when he had her pinned beneath him?

_NO! Do NOT think about her under you right now!_

Instead, Dmitry tried to recall every unfortunate thing he could. Vlad singing in the shower. Maria’s cooking (thank _God_ Any hadn’t learned to cook from her sister). That one psychology professor’s voice from Sophomore year, that could kill any and all joy.

Ok. Deep breathes. He could figure this out.

He’d talk to Anya in the morning. It’d be painfully awkward, but the last thing he wanted was for her to be uncomfortable living with him. And despite his desire to do so, he needs her to know he’s not going to try and ravish her at any moment’s notice.

_Do NOT think about ravishing her! We JUST talked about this!_

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there collecting himself, but once he was sure the living room had gone quiet (Anya must’ve gone to bed), he crept out of his room to get his phone he’d left on the coffee table. Maybe Vlad would have some helpful advice. Could he ask Maria what to do?

_No, you idiot. You cannot ask the sister of the woman you are hopelessly in love with, who is coincidentally your best friend, what you should do about feeling up said sister._

As he walked into the living room, he saw Anya, curled up in a ball under a throw blanket, fast asleep on the couch. Even in sleep, she looked annoyed with him, he thought with a smile. Her brow was scrunched and she was quietly mumbling in her sleep.

“Stupid…so stupid.. _Dmitry_.”

Wait. Was she dreaming about him? Was it a bad dream? Maybe it was a _good_ dream? His heart and mind at war over which would be worse..

Dmitry grabbed another blanket out of the hall closet and draped it over Anya. As warm as he was, he didn’t want her to wake up cold in the living room. Perhaps he could turn up the thermostat a few degrees, for her sake. For a split second, he considered carrying her to her bed where she’d be more comfortable, but thought better of it. He’d already touched her too much tonight. If he did touch her again, it would be with her consent. In that moment, he vowed to make amends with her in the morning.

Plus, he’s pretty sure if he picked her up, there would be a part of him that would want her to sleep in his bed with him. _Strictly platonically_ his brain thought, but then at least he could make sure she was warm enough.

The extra blanket would have to do for tonight. They’d crossed too many lines and he wasn’t about to add more to the list. Dmitry went back to his room and attempted to fall asleep without thoughts of his roommate on his mind.

When he woke up later, the first thing he realized was that it was now light out. The second was that he was covered in sweat. Whether from the temperature in his room or from dreams he certainly would _not_ be revisiting, he wasn’t sure. Deciding to pick his battles, he quickly showered and changed into clean clothes. As he emerged from his bedroom, he became aware of some delicious smell coming from the kitchen. Anya was clearly awake and had decided to make breakfast – another thing that he loved about living with her.

Before Anya, his breakfast routine usually consisted of black coffee and a protein bar. When Anya first moved in and learned of this, she scoffed at him, rolled her eyes, and announced she was making pancakes. At the time, Dmitry - never one to turn down food - sat back and watched with amusement as she moved about the kitchen looking for various ingredients. As she cooked, she explained to Dmitry how important breakfast was in determining the outcome of the day. While they weren’t always able to fit in grander things during the week, like pancakes, Anya still made a point to have them sit at the kitchen table together and eat real food. Dmitry thought it silly at first, but now he realized how right Anya was. He loved taking time to sit down and enjoy the morning with Anya before they both went about their days.

This morning, it appeared that Anya was on a mission. It looked like she was making pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. There was also a pot of coffee waiting for him. She cooked when she was anxious, Dmitry had learned, so maybe their conversation would be happening sooner rather than later.

He cleared his throat to alert her of his presence. She jumped a little and then turned to face him. With a big smile on her face, she said, “It’s about time you woke up, sleepy head! Breakfast is almost ready and then we’ve got lunch with the family today.”

“It all looks and smells amazing, Anya. Thank you.” He smiled genuinely at her and watched with amusement as she blushed at his compliment.

“Well you know, breakfast determines how your day will go. I don’t know about you, but I think today will be great!” Her optimism never ceased to amaze him. Just another reason why he didn’t feel like he deserved her. What would she want with his pessimistic self?

As they sat down to eat, Dmitry decided it was now or never. He set down his coffee mug and waited for Anya to meet his eyes. Her face grew concerned and she quickly took his hand in hers.

“What is it? Is everything alright?” She asked. Dmitry looked down at where her small hands had enveloped his. She wasn’t as cold as she was last night, but that was probably because of all the cooking she had been doing. He tried not to think on how right it felt; their hands touching.

“I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable living with me and I know I crossed a line. I hope you can forgive me and we can still be friends, because honestly, you’re the best roommate I’ve ever had. Thermostat issues aside.” He looked back up to see Anya blushing again and worrying her bottom lip. She had averted her eyes from his, so she didn’t catch him staring at the movement. Oh, how he wanted to kiss the worry from her.

“Dmitry, if anyone should apologize, it’s me. I’ve clearly made you uncomfortable in your own home when you were the one nice enough to let me live here. I’m so sorry about all of that. I hope you don’t hate me. I don’t want to lose you…as a friend.” Her hands squeezed his gently and their eyes met again.

“I could _never_ hate you, Anya. You’re…you being here has been great. And you won’t lose me…as a friend, ever. Let’s just start fresh, okay?” There. That wasn’t too hard, was it? They could be _friends_ , as much as his heart protested it. It was for the best in the end, but it still hurt.

One more gentle squeeze of their hands, “Okay.” Anya’s little smile as they reached their agreement definitely didn’t make it any easier. As she pulled her hands back, he felt cold for the first time.

Anya then excused herself to clean up and get ready to go to her parents’. Dmitry stood and stopped her. “You cooked for me, the least I can do is clean up. Go on, I got this.” They shared a smile and then she left to shower, giving him time to think on everything alone.

Later, as they are pulling up to the Romanov home, some of their awkwardness had returned. It was one thing when they were in their own bubble of the apartment. Now they’d be out with other people. For some reason, this put Dmitry on edge. He wasn’t sure how to he was going to hide whatever this was from Maria.

Sure enough, as soon as they walked in the door, Maria’s eyes zeroed in on the two of them. _Shit._ Maybe if he made himself look busy…she might not pick up on anything. He told Anya he would put her containers with all the treats she had made in the kitchen for her. She thanked him, giving him a shy smile that made her eyes twinkle. He really was a goner for her, wasn’t he? He smiled back with what he could only imagine was a dopey grin.

Naturally, the world was out to get Dmitry. Maria Romanov, apparently trained ninja, cornered him in the kitchen immediately.

“What happened with you and my sister? I could feel the sexual tension while you were still in the car.” _Jesus._ Was it too late to run out the front door and act like he’d never met Maria or any Romanov?

“ _Nothing_ happened. We just had to discuss some roommate things this morning. Everything is fine now, we’re…friends.” He really needed to work on this if he was going to convince other people, let alone himself.

Maria wasn’t biting. “Bullshit. Neither of you can hide your emotions, even if your life depended on it. Spill the beans before I get the others to help me with this interrogation.”

The threat of the combined Romanov siblings’ power was enough to get Dmitry talking. He told Maria everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. Well. Except for the whole “I’m in love with your sister who is currently living with me” thing. Maria didn’t need to know about that.

As always though, Maria saw right through him. “You love her.”

Spluttering, Dmitry tried to disagree with her. But it was pointless. Maria knew _everything_. Hanging his head in defeat and frustration, he mumbled a quiet “yes.”

It seemed that all Romanovs were unpredictable (or crazy), because Maria then swatted his shoulder. What was it with these girls and smacking his arm? But instead of scolding him for falling in love with her precious baby sister, she exclaimed, “Why haven’t you told her!”

“Are you kidding me? You want me to tell your sister that I love her?”

“If that’s how you really feel, yes! You complete idiot!” Leave it to Maria to make it all seem so simple. “Is this some weird pseudo-bro-code with us? Because if that’s the reason you’re not pursuing her I will cut you.”

“Okay first of all, you’re my best friend. Why would I actively pursue your little sister? I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship! And second of all, Anya doesn’t feel that way about me! She wants to be friends and I don’t want to lose her as a friend and roommate.” There. He spoke it into existence. So why didn’t he feel any better about it all?

“You are so ridiculous. I will always be your best friend. If you want to date my sister because you’re in love with her, do it. I can still be your best friend and also threaten your life if you hurt her. Do you think you’re going to hurt her?” Damnit. Maria was not going to let this drop.

“Of course not. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Aside from meeting you, of course,” he added with a teasing smirk at Maria.

She thwacked his shoulder again, albeit gentler this time. Maybe he should start wearing football pads when he spends time with Romanovs..?

“You should talk to her. You never know, perhaps she feels the same way about you?” Now Maria was being mysterious. Like she knew something Dmitry didn’t. Clearly his brain was not fast enough to handle any kind games this family liked to play.

“Wait. Did…did she say something to you about us? Maria! _MARIA,_ come back!” But it was too late. Maria had left him alone in the kitchen to ponder her words. _Did Anya like him as more than a friend?_ No, she had said she wanted to be friends, right? _Or did she only agree to that after YOU said you wanted to be friends?_ Fuck. Dmitry was an idiot.

The rest of the afternoon progressed with little incident. Dmitry loved getting to spend time with the Romanovs. He hadn’t had much family time (pre-Maria) since he was a young child. It was nice being surrounded by so many people that cared unconditionally for each other. Dmitry tried to remain present throughout the day, but his mind was preoccupied with Anya. After his conversation with Maria, he was reassessing the events leading up to this point. Perhaps he had read both situations from yesterday wrong. Anya _had_ been looking at him rather intently when he wasn’t wearing a shirt… And they had had some rather close moments recently…

Lost in thought, Dmitry didn’t notice both Maria and Anya trying to get his attention. Suddenly, Anya’s tiny hand waved in front of his face.

“Anybody home? We asked you if you’d like to go out with a group of us tonight! Lily just texted us to meet her at the Neva Club around 8.”

“Sure. Who all is going?” Dmitry could definitely use a drink. Maybe a night out would do him some good.

“Well, Lily and Vlad, of course. Maria, you, me, Marfa, Paulina, and I think Gleb might join us as well.”

_Gleb…_

Dmitry tried not to physically scowl, but internally he was not happy. He never really liked Gleb to being with. Something about that guy just didn’t sit well with him. It didn’t help that Gleb had a very obvious interest in Anya. It’s not that Dmitry was jealous. Gleb didn’t stand a chance with Anya. _At least that’s what you hope._ Well, it was too late to back out now. If he did, Anya would for sure know it was because of Gleb and then she would start asking questions Dmitry wasn’t ready to answer just yet.

They dropped their leftovers from lunch off at the apartment first. The Romanov luncheons always went well into late afternoon, so dinner was never really necessary. Anya had claimed she needed to change, so Dmitry took the opportunity to relax for a bit and prepare himself for an evening that involved so many other people. He enjoys a night out as much as the next guy, but he’s grown used to his evenings at home alone with Anya. Now he was expected to go be social with _Gleb._ Would it be out of the question to have a drink before drinks?

Anya emerged from her bedroom wearing a blue dress that should be considered illegal. None of Anya’s clothing could be considered “skimpy” and this dress was no exception. Anya had a very classic sense of style. This dress was sleeveless and fitted, with a tied knot in the front. The blue brought out her eyes and Anya looked nothing short of beautiful. As she slipped on her flats, Dmitry had to fight the urge to press her against the nearest wall and kiss her until she forgot all about their plans for the evening.

Instead, he played it smooth and said, “No jacket? Won’t you be cold tonight, Princess?”

Anya narrowed her eyes at him, but had a smirk on her face, so she clearly wasn’t mad at his words. “Don’t you worry about me. I’m sure I’ll find some way to stay warm.”

Brain currently short-circuited with the different ways he could warm her up, Dmitry came back to reality with her giggle. “Come on, we’re going to be late! You know how Lily is about timeliness.”

Together, they made the 10-minute walk to the Neva Club. Once inside, Maria drug Anya over to their table. Dmitry went up to the bar to get the two of them drinks and then slid into the booth next to Anya. He handed her the drink, which she accepted with a shy smile and a quiet thanks. He could’ve sat there all night, just the two of them, but as fate would have it, _Gleb_ chose that exact moment to also join their table.

Gleb wasn’t a bad guy. The only fault that Dmitry could readily identify in him was that he wanted Anya. But could he really blame the guy? Anya was Anya. Dmitry might judge Gleb _more_ if he wasn’t interested in Anya.

Maria challenged Dmitry to pool, so he was forced to leave Anya at their table with everyone else. _And Gleb_ his mind thought traitorously. He made sure to keep a close eye on their table between his shots. Gleb had moved to Dmitry’s vacated spot and had put his arm up over the booth, behind Anya. Something in Dmitry bristled at this, but he tried to remain rational. That gesture didn’t mean anything. Besides, he had no “claim” over Anya. She was her own person. If she wanted Gleb’s arm there…well Dmitry didn’t like it, but he also acknowledged he had no say in the matter.

Maria was kicking his ass at pool. He wasn’t even trying to hide his preoccupation at this point. His best friend was never one to let him off the hook for anything, so she took full advantage of the situation. Finally, she put him out of his misery, sinking her final shot and telling him he needed another drink.

As he waited at the bar with Maria for their drinks, he looked back to their table. Anya had her arms wrapped around her, a sign that she was cold. Then, he watched as Gleb shrugged out of his jacket and set it around Anya’s shoulders to keep her warm. His stomach dropped and his muscles tensed. What Dmitry felt at that moment could only be described as fierce jealousy. He was not prepared for how strong of a reaction he would have to seeing Anya with another man. Trying to see past all the red currently marring his vision, Dmitry turned back to Maria.

“I’m not feeling too great. I’m going to head out. Will you make sure Anya gets home ok?” He said as he paid for the drinks.

“Uh..sure. Are you okay?” Maria looked concerned. This wasn’t like Dmitry.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just need to get out of here.” And with that, he left the bar, not really sure where he was walking to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was a doozy. Definitely a lot longer than I originally planned, but splitting it up would've been more annoying. Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> If you feel like leaving a comment, just know they all make me smile like a complete fool every time I reread them :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya's POV
> 
> FEELINGS. Grown-up communication (wut?). And as always, these two idiots that I love more than I should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is tooth-rottingly sweet, so call your dentists.

Anya was only half-listening to Gleb. He was friendly enough, but she couldn’t help glancing over to the pool tables, hoping to make eye contact with either Maria or Dmitry so they would come save her.

Gleb was perfectly fine. Very nice. But he couldn’t really take a hint and Anya was too nice to tell him she didn’t need his jacket, thank you very much. She was cold, true, but this felt wrong. Gleb’s jacket wasn’t all that warm and it didn’t smell right. She had wished desperately that it was Dmitry who had his arm around her in the booth, keeping her safe and warm. He always smelled like home.

Anya noticed that Maria and Dmitry were no longer playing pool, so she did a quick scan of the place, hoping to find them at the bar or on their way back to their table. She was fine…but she really wanted Dmitry here with her.

After their incident the night before, Anya had texted her sister for advice. She was so lost and confused, and the only person that knew Dmitry completely was Maria. At first, she had seemed hesitant to wade into the conflict. Dmitry was her best friend, but she and Anya were the closest of their siblings. When it became clear that this was not a texting type of conversation, Maria called Anya.

“We have to keep it down…I’m not sure if he’s sleeping or not…” Anya had whispered into the phone.

And then Anya told her sister everything. All the chaos of the last two days as well as the feelings she’d been keeping locked away. When she was finished, Maria had the audacity to laugh at her.

“Oh Nastya, can’t you see? Dima is just as crazy about you as you are with him.”

“How do you know? Has he said anything to you?” Anya was beginning to panic. Had she missed something? Was this confusion all her fault?

“He doesn’t have to. Honestly, you two both think you’re so sneaky and secretive with your angst and feelings. Newsflash: I’ve known you’ve loved Dmitry since the first time I brought him home. And no one knows Dima better than me – at least for now. That man couldn’t hide his stupid heart eyes whenever you were around if his life depended on it.” Maria sounded too proud of herself.

 _Well,_ Anya thought, _this was new information._ Was Maria right? Did Dmitry feel the same way about her? Maria was usually right – not that Anya would make a habit of telling her that – so maybe she should go with it?

“I’ll tell you what. See what he does in the morning. Go from there. I’m sure he’ll try and corner me tomorrow at lunch. Then…I don’t know. Let’s go out for drinks or something. Lord knows I’m going to need it if I have to keep up with you two pining after each other like a couple of idiot teenagers.”

“You’re so smart, Masha. What would I do without you?” There were only minimal levels of sarcasm in her voice. Anya was truly grateful for Maria’s insight.

“Clearly, you and Dmitry would die alone having never pulled your heads out of your asses.”

Rolling her eyes, Anya said a quick goodnight to her sister and decided to lay back down on the couch. Her mind had been too wired to even think about going to bed. She must’ve fallen asleep at some point though, because the next thing she knew, it was morning and she had somehow acquired a second blanket that smelled faintly of Dmitry.

_Did he cover her up during the night?_

Anya shook herself from her thoughts to see Maria walking back towards the table, alone, despite having two drinks in her hands.

“Dmitry said he wasn’t feeling well, so he left. I can give you a ride home, Anya.” Something was off. Maria looked worried and it set Anya on edge. She also couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that Dmitry had left without her. She was really hoping she’d get a chance to tell him how she felt on their walk home.

“You know, I think I’m getting a headache myself. Would you mind taking me home now? I know it’s still early…” Anya couldn’t say why, but she felt like she needed to get home to Dmitry as soon as possible.

Gleb started to offer to drive her himself so Maria could stay out, but Maria cut him off. “Of course. Let me grab my keys and we’ll go. It was nice to see you again, Gleb.” And with a curt nod in his direction, she grabbed Anya’s hand to pull her out of the booth.

Gleb’s jacket feel from Anya’s shoulders onto the seat and she also bid him goodnight.

Once outside, Anya rounded on her sister.

“What’s going on? Is Dmitry ok? He seemed fine when we got here.” As she was talking, her words came out faster and faster. She was worried and wanted answers.

“I’m sure he’s fine. He just needed to cool off and clear his head is what he told me. I’m not sure what happened, though. One minute, we’re getting drinks. The next, he’s looking over at the table with murder eyes. Then he said he’s not feeling well and he’s going to take off.” Anya had the suspicion that Maria was keeping something else from her.

“What aren’t you telling me, Masha?”

“Look. This is for you two to work out, okay? I can only help so much. Honestly though, I think he’s just jealous. He’s not a fan of Gleb, you know. I think if you just _talk_ to him, things will be fine.”

 _Oh my god. He saw the jacket!_ No wonder he was upset. After seeing his reaction to her wearing his sweatshirt…Of course he’d get jealous over what Gleb had tried. _Ugh. This was such a mess._ If only she had told him how she felt sooner, they could’ve avoided this confusion. But _no,_ she just _had_ to go along with his stupid little “friends?” game.

She needed to get home. Now.

Maria dropped her off outside their building shortly after. When Anya made it to their apartment, the lights were all off. She checked all of the rooms. No one was home.

_Where was Dmitry?_

She tried calling his cell, but no answer. As she paced back and forth, debating who to call next, Dmitry walked in their front door. Anya’s phone fell to the ground. She fought the urge to run to him and throw her arms around him.

“Are you alright? Maria said you weren’t feeling well and then you just disappeared! I was worried something might’ve happened to you on your walk back.” She walked quickly over to him, not caring about their friend truce from this morning, and rested her hand on his cheek, cradling his face.

He leaned into her hand, one of his own coming up to grab hers. His other hand settled on her waist.

“I’m fine, I promise. I just needed to get out of there and get some air. I took the long way back.” His eyes closed as her thumb brushed his check before resting on the spot where his dimple was. Even when he wasn’t smiling, she knew exactly where to find it.

“I think we need to talk, Dmitry.”

At that, his eyes snapped open, worry filling them.

“Nothing bad, I promise you. But I don’t think we’ve been completely honest with each other. Would you agree?”

In that moment, staring into her crystal blue Romanov eyes, Dmitry found himself unable to disagree. With a deep sigh, he nodded against her hand that was still resting on his face.

She dropped her hand from his face and grabbed his to lead him to the couch. Once they were both seated facing each other, Anya spoke.

“I lied to you this morning when I said I wanted to be your friend more than anything else.” At that, Dmitry’s breath hitched.

“Let me finish. I do want to be your friend, but I also want so much more with you. I… I love living with you. These past few months have been the happiest times of my life and I can’t imagine _not_ living with you. I love you, Dima, and I know that telling you this could completely screw everything up but I can’t not tell you. I-”

She was cut off by Dmitry’s mouth on hers. His lips were insistent, but gentle. His fingers carded through her hair before he dropped one hand to her waist again. She felt a slight tug and then she was moving forward to sit in his lap.

They parted for a quick breath before Anya claimed his lips again. She had never felt so free. Kissing Dmitry felt like coming _home._

When they parted again, Dmitry pressed his forehead against hers. Eyes closed, he whispered, “Say that again, please.” Had they not been so close, she probably wouldn’t have heard the desperate plea.

Running her hands through his very messy hair, Anya waited for him to meet her eyes before she said, “I love you, Dima.”

The biggest smile she had ever seen on him stretched across his face. She moved her thumb back to his now very prominent dimple, brushing against the indent.

“I love you too, Anya. So much. I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. And I’m sorry I walked out of the bar tonight. I just…I couldn’t stand to see Gleb around you like that. When I saw him put his jacket around you, it was like I lost it. I want to be the one that keeps you warm, damnit. I love you so much it’s-”

Now it was Anya’s turn to cut him off with her lips.

They sat there for what felt like both hours and seconds just kissing. If asked, Anya would truthfully say that she could spend her whole life kissing Dmitry and she’d still want to kiss him more. This just felt _so right._

Too soon, Dmitry pulled back to look at her again, this time with a sheepish grin. “So…uh. What do you say we get ready for bed? I think I can do a much better job as your personal heater than my sweatshirt or any blankets could…” _God._ This grown man was _blushing_ like crazy and Anya couldn't help but pull another quick kiss from him before she responded.

“Dmitry Sudayev. What kind of girl do you take me for?” And oh, how she loved that they could now openly flirt and tease with each other.

“The kind of girl that is always cold and is trying to give me heat stroke constantly. But coincidentally, also the girl that loves me.” He looked so happy and proud to say that. Ugh. She loved him so much.

Adopting her best haughty voice, because she was so stupidly happy in that moment, she said, “Well. It would seem that on this rare occasion, you are correct. Don’t let it go to your head. Now carry me to bed, as my legs appear to have frozen around you.”

“With pleasure, my Ice Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the epilogue left! Thank you to everyone that has joined me for this story! If you can/want, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
> 
> 💛


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end!

They woke up the next morning a tangle of limbs. Dmitry’s hand was running up and down Anya’s bare back, causing her to shiver.

“Are you cold again? Have I been slacking in my duties as your personal heater?” He asked with a sly grin. _God. He was such a fool in love._

“I have clearly created a monster, hell-bent on keeping me in this bed forever.” Anya’s teasing would never get old. Her smile hadn’t left her face yet.

“Oh, I’m perfectly open to keeping you warm on various other surfaces throughout the apartment.” Anya really needed to wipe that stupid smirk off of his face. Having recently discovered the best way to shut him up, Anya tilted her face towards his and kissed him soundly.

* * *

One might think that professing their love to their roommate might complicate matters.

Really though, nothing changed between Dmitry and Anya. He still went for his morning runs, returning all sweaty and gross. She still cooked extravagant breakfasts with too much food for two people.

Except now, when Dmitry would return all hot and sweaty, Anya could push him against the nearest wall and kiss his stupid grin off of his face while she peeled his tank top over his head. And when they were finished eating breakfast in the morning, Dmitry could now grab Anya’s hand and pull her into his lap so he could kiss the maple syrup from the side of her mouth.

According to Maria, they were both disgustingly adorable and nauseating to be around. But then she would smile and tell them how happy she was that her two favorite people were finally together.

She also enjoyed taking credit for setting them up – frequently and to everyone they met – but they let it slide.

Oh. They still fight incessantly over the thermostat. Anya has learned though, that no matter who controls the temperature, she emerges the victor. Hot in the apartment? Dmitry walks around nearly naked. Cold in the apartment? Dmitry eagerly offers to warm her up.

Not a bad deal, if you asked her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING 💛
> 
> I've been reading fanfiction for over a decade, but never thought I was good enough to write myself. This story - and all of your lovely words of praise - have given me the confidence I needed to continue to write. This was such a fun thing to do and it was such a good outlet with all the crazy in the world today. 
> 
> As always, leave a comment if you'd like! I love hearing from you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!!!
> 
> missingcrowdsof1000s requested the tumblr prompt "ornaments" & I missed these two, so here's a check-in on their first Christmas together!
> 
> break out the floss & call your dentists...because I've got some TOOTH-ROTTING fluff for you 💛

Lost in thought, Anya didn’t notice her sisters trying to get her attention until a cream puff hit her square on the cheek.

“Maria!” Her screech drew the attention of the tables nearest them and if Anya had been anyone else, she might’ve felt embarrassed.

But she was Anastasia Romanov and that emotion was rarely experienced.

“Ah. Now I have your attention.” Maria looked smug as she stirred more sugar into her tea. Only the Romanov sisters would go to Saturday morning tea.

Anya loathed the pretentiousness of the event, but the sisters had such few opportunities to get all four of them together without significant others or children. Tea usually didn’t involve food fights though…

“What did you need?” Anya’s patience was already thin and not for the first time that morning, she lamented her luck that they picked the one tea shop that didn’t serve mimosas as well.

“I asked you if you’d finished your Christmas shopping yet. Where were you at just now?” She was closest to Maria, so of course she already knew how Anya’s shopping was going. She was just trying to get Anya to keep Olga and Tatiana in the loop, but the last thing she needed was more goading over her current predicament.

Grimacing, Anya grabbed another mini cake from the center of the table and figured she might as well get it over with. The Romanov sisters always found things out, regardless of the source’s willingness to share.

“I’ve finished with everyone…” Ugh. Could she bribe the waitress into slipping her some vodka? “…except Dmitry.”

Sure enough, her eldest sisters responded with gasps.

“How could you not have gotten Dmitry anything yet?”

“You live with the man; how hard could he be to shop for?”

“Christmas is in _three_ days!!”

“This is Dmitry we’re talking about…Why are you not just throwing a bow around your lady bits and calling it good?”

“Tatiana!”

They were going to get thrown out of the tea shop at this rate. Well, that wasn’t true. The Romanov last name carried some serious clout in places like this. But still, if word got back to their Nana that they’d made a scene…Anya shuddered at the possible consequences.

“It’s our first Christmas together and I want to get him something special. We both agreed not to go overboard, but I can’t just get him any old thing.” Anya needed her gifts to have meaning behind them. She wanted Dmitry to understand just how much she loved him, but how was she supposed to do so with their agreed upon $25 budget?

Maybe Tatiana was onto something with that bow idea…

No. She needed a tangible gift.

But just in case…she needed to remember to raid the ribbon drawer in her mother’s craft room before she went home today…

At the thought of the craft room, Anya lit up with the perfect idea for what to get Dmitry.

“Uh oh…we know that look…”

“Shut up. Are you almost finished with your tea? I need to make a quick stop before we head back to the house.” Anya was already gathering her things, not bothering to remain polite.

“Oh sure. Why would we want to sit and enjoy ourselves…”

“If you don’t want to help me, Maria, that’s fine. But that just means you won’t get to know what I’m getting Dmitry…”

Maria scowled, knowing she’d been trapped. Her sister had done her best to remain neutral in their relationship, as Dmitry’s best friend and Anya’s favorite sister, but that didn’t mean she refrained from knowing all of their business.

“Fine. Olya. Tatya. I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast? Lord knows we won’t see _Anastasia_ , who has taken to _sleeping in_ on Sundays.” Maria cast a pointed glare over her shoulder at Anya, but Anya wasn’t paying attention enough to care.

Even if she had been, she wouldn’t argue. Sunday mornings were their preferred lazy days. Well. Lazy in that they didn’t bother getting out of bed until almost noon.

Dmitry had one job – keep Anya warm, so she wouldn’t touch the thermostat – and he took his job _very. seriously._

Once her sister joined her out on the sidewalk, she forced Anya to spill the beans.

“I was enjoying that tea. This had better be a good idea, Anya.”

“It is! You know how Dmitry and I always fight over the thermostat?”

“…Yes…” Maria looked skeptical. How could Anya possibly turn the thermostat into a Christmas present? “You’re not going to do some stupid coupon book thing are you? Because you’re better than that, you know.”

“Hey! You loved my baked goods coupon book that I gave you for your last birthday!”

“Sure…that’s what it was…love…” But Anya knew her sister was teasing. No one could resist Anya’s baking.

“Well, so one of the first movies we watched together after we started dating was Frozen…”

Maria groaned.

“Oh I know. Dmitry was humming ‘Let it Go’ for weeks. I almost stabbed him with an icicle myself.”

“Your violent tendencies aside, there’s that part towards the end where Olaf tells Anna that some people are worth melting for.”

“And this applies to you how…?”

Anya cuffed her sister’s shoulder.

“I’m getting there! Well he likes to call me Ice Princess because I’m always cold –” She paused to roll her eyes and Maria’s dramatic gag. “And I think it’s a cute, creative way to say I love him, since he’s my personal space heater.”

“God, you two have the most boring dirty talk I’ve ever heard.”

“Maria!” She loved her sister, really, but they had agreed to not talk about her sex life if they could help it. “Anyways, I want to make him a Christmas ornament for our tree that says that on it. It’s like one of those ‘Our First Christmas’ things, but not as commercial and generic.”

“No, you’re just using the most over-hyped Disney movie of the last decade as your inspiration.”

Anya deflated. “Do you think it’s a dumb idea?”

Maria had the decency to look guilty. “Of course not. I think it’s adorable and you two make me want to vomit from how sweet you are. What do we need to do?”

“Well…I was thinking…”

* * *

Dmitry walked into their apartment and felt the air thicken with anticipation. Anya had turned all of the overhead lights off, leaving just their tiny tree and twinkle lights around the window to provide a warm glow in the living room.

“Nastya?” He set down the small wrapped box he’d been holding on the coffee table and shrugged out of his coat. “Nastya, are you home?”

“I’ll be right out, Dima!”

Ah. So she was in the bedroom. Probably putting away laundry, which was her code word for hiding his sweatshirts in her drawers so she could wear them later. He only ever put up a fight about her stealing his clothes when he caught her in the act, but she learned quickly that if she was already wearing them, he would be too dumbstruck to say anything coherent.

He didn’t really put up a fight when he caught her, either, but it was a fun little game for them.

Sure enough, tiny, absolutely _freezing_ hands covered his eyes and he could feel the sleeves of one of his sweatshirts swamping her arms. He shivered for multiple reasons, but let Anya have her fun.

“Are your eyes closed, Dima?” For a woman with freezing limbs, her breath sure was warm against his neck. She was likely standing on her tip toes to reach him and he felt such a wave of love for her then.

“You’ve covered them, Nastya. Don’t you think closing them would be overkill?”

“Well when I take my hands away to grab your Christmas present, I need to know you won’t peak!”

“Fine, fine. You and your rules.” He sighed and slid his eyes closed, waiting for Anya to give the signal.

“Hold out your hands, but be _very_ careful. It’s very delicate.”

Fuck. He was a clumsy oaf. She trusted him with something breakable?

A light, tissue paper-wrapped object was placed in his hands and Dmitry tried not to squeeze too hard in his attempt to keep it safe. Knowing his luck, he’d shatter whatever it was before he unwrapped it.

“Ok, you can open your eyes and open the present.”

He blinked open his eyes and tried not to linger on the very tempting girlfriend standing before him in nothing but one of his university sweatshirts.

He slowly pulled the ribbon that held the tissue paper together and revealed a tiny glass ball hanging on a silver ribbon. As he picked it up to examine it closer, the white dust and glitter within the ball moved around, jostling what looked like tiny twigs and was that a carrot?

There was writing too, on the ball. He recognized Anya’s fancy cursive immediately.

‘Some people are worth melting for. – DS + AR 2019’

“Anya…did you…did you make this? For me?” His heart felt a lot like the Grinch’s. It threatened to split his ribs with how thoughtful this gift was. Dmitry wasn’t sure he’d ever received something like this before.

_She remembered the movie…_

He also didn’t miss the sly jab at what brought them together. He was always calling her his Ice Princess and she was always taunting him into warming her up. It was…

It was absolutely perfect.

“I did…I know it might seem a little silly, but I just thought – ” Dmitry didn’t let her finish her anxious ramble. Careful of the glass orb in his hand, he pulled Anya to him and kissed the words from her mouth. His free hand then went to cup her cheek, tilting her face up to deepen the embrace and he hoped he was able to convey just a tiny fraction of the love he felt in that moment.

When they broke for air, Dmitry blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. Anya was just so…she was his person and he had no idea how lucky he’d gotten.

“So…you like the present?” Anya’s cheeks were sporting a healthy flush that spread down her neck. His mind wandered for just a bit, formulating an educated guess for how long it would take before he could find out just how far down that blush went.

“I love it. It’s the best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten. Thank you, Nastya.” He kissed her forehead and then moved to hang the ornament on _their_ tree.

“So…there might be a Part 2 to your present, but only because I wasn’t sure if the ornament would work out or not…” She was now fiddling with the sleeves of his sweatshirt and Dmitry was distracted from the present he’d brought with him.

“I get _two_ presents? Wow. I must’ve been good this year…” Anya moved into his space and snaked her arms around his neck. He rested his hands on her hips and missed the soft crinkle of something under the sweatshirt. Anya shivered in his arms and his attention was once again brought back to the bare legs before him.

“Tatiana suggested it…”

Anya stepped back and pulled the sweatshirt over her head and Dmitry forgot how to breathe.

“Tatiana is my new favorite Platonic Romanov.”

Anya squealed as Dmitry hauled her up and into his arms to carry her back to their bedroom.

“I believe you said something about melting? Well, I’d better get to work…don’t you think?”

Anya kissed him in response and then Dmitry turned his focus to unwrapping the other present Anya had gotten him.

Christmas had easily become his favorite holiday, hands down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 💛💛💛


End file.
